News

Oakland: Elderly woman rescued from fire at high-rise apartment building

By Kristin J. Bender Bay Area News Group

Posted:
04/24/2013 08:20:55 PM PDT

Updated:
04/24/2013 10:49:56 PM PDT

OAKLAND -- Three firefighters ran up nine flights of stairs Wednesday night and rescued a 78-year-old woman and her dog as a kitchen fire destroyed her 10th-floor apartment, a fire official said.

The woman's name was not released. She was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, said Oakland Fire Department Battalion Chief Melinda Drayton. Her condition was not available late Wednesday.

The single-alarm fire was reported about 6:15 p.m. at the intersection of Seventh and Market streets, Drayton said. About 45 firefighters had the blaze controlled by 6:45 p.m., she said.

Oakland police Lt. Robert Chan said Oakland police Sgt. Todd Mork was driving by and was flagged down by screaming residents.

Mork called for help, flagged down a passing Oakland schools officer, and together they went into the building and tried unsuccessfully to rescue the woman, Drayton said.

She was ultimately taken down in an elevator by three Oakland firefighters, Drayton said. Drayton said the schools officer, who asked that her name not be released, was treated for smoke inhalation.

The building was evacuated and no one else was injured.

The fire was contained to one unit, which was a total loss with about $40,000 in damage, Drayton said. The apartment one floor below was damaged by water.

The American Red Cross stepped in to assist the woman with housing until she finds a new place to live, Drayton said.